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‘Competitive’ Affair in Forward Gal

John Minchello's Competitive Speed (Competitive Edge) will put her three-race win streak on the line when she makes her debut in graded company in Saturday's GIII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream Park.

“This is going to be a big test, but I think she can make it,” trainer Javier Gonzalez said. “She's doing good and she is one of those horses that is never going to make you look bad,” he added. “I think she's going to run a very good race.”

Competitive Speed, sixth facing open maidens in the Gulfstream West slop Oct. 31, graduated by 1 1/2 lengths against $25,000 maiden claimers at Gulfstream West Nov. 12, beating a pair of next-out winners in the process. Shipped to Gulfstream for her next start Dec. 6, the chestnut came from off the pace to take a starter optional claimer by 4 1/2 lengths, then stepped up to add the 6 1/2-furlong Glitter Woman S. Jan. 2.

Competitive Speed, who failed to meet her reserve as a yearling at Keeneland in the fall of 2019, sold for $5,000 the following season at OBS in July.

“She's always doing better every day, and that's happened from the very first day that she came to the barn. When she came to us and started training and working and get condition, she was doing better,” Gonzalez added. “When we put her in company, she did better. Whatever we ask her to do, she did better. She's passed every test.”

Competitive Speed has breezed twice at Gulfstream West since the Glitter Woman, including a half-mile in :48.40 Jan. 16, third-fastest of 18 horses. Leonel Reyes will ride back from Post 3 in a field of eight.

“It was a little bit faster than I wanted, but she came back good. The next day she ate everything and she was happy,” Gonzalez said. “She's coming into the race really well.”

Shadwell Stable homebred Zaajel (Street Sense), enters the Forward Gal off a 7 1/4-length maiden special weight romp going seven panels at Gulfstream Dec. 20.

“She was very impressive in her debut and she's trained great since then,” Todd Pletcher said. “Ideally, I'd kind of like to run her in an allowance race, but we don't really have an option at the moment. Considering how well she ran at the distance and over the surface here, we'll give it a try. The seven furlongs was no problem in her debut.”

Luis Saez, up for her debut, gets the return call from Post 7.

Also one to watch is Coach Jer's Joy (Palace), who earned the top spot over a field that included Competitive Speed in the aforementioned Gulfstream West maiden Oct. 31. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the chestnut will be joined by freshly anointed Eclipse award winning rider, Irad Ortiz Jr.

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Baffert Shoots for Record Ninth Robert B. Lewis Victory

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will have two shots at adding to his growing record with a potential ninth win in Saturday's GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita.

The improving $1-million Keeneland September graduate Spielberg (Union Rags), MGISP as a juvenile, posted a hard-fought, breakthrough nose victory in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time Dec. 19. The runner-up that day The Great One (Nyquist), meanwhile, returned with a flashy, 14-length maiden victory for trainer Doug O'Neill last weekend, good for a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Baffert will also saddle Medina Spirit (Protonico), who cut his highly regarded unbeaten stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief)'s margin of victory to just 3/4 of a length second time out in the GIII Sham S. Jan. 2.

Medina Spirit, the morning-line favorite at 5-2, has been assigned the rail while Spielberg drew widest of all in post eight.

“I don't like being stuck inside, and on the outside, you lose ground, but I think we'll learn more about both horses,” Baffert said. “Right now, we're just trying to figure out their styles and how good they are. They'll start separating themselves. Until they go a mile and an eighth, that's when you'll really know.”

O'Neill will also be represented by a pair of promising sophomores in this deep contest, headed by last out GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile longshot runner-up at 94-1 Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow). The half-brother to champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) previously earned his diploma in game fashion by a neck locally at fourth asking.

O'Neill's other charge Wipe the Slate (Nyquist) tries two turns for the first time. A well-beaten second behind the aforementioned Life Is Good first out Nov. 22, he took a big step forward with a strong maiden win going seven furlongs in Arcadia last time Dec. 26.

Roman Centurian (Empire Maker) received the 'TDN Rising Star' nod following a visually impressive, come-from-behind maiden tally at second asking over course and distance last time Jan. 3. The $550,000 Keeneland September yearling was previously fourth, beaten 12 1/4 lengths, behind Life Is Good and Wipe the Slate at Del Mar.

The Robert B. Lewis carries 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

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White Frost Looks To Stay Unbeaten On Turf In Sweetest Chant

Gainesway Stable's White Frost (Candy Ride {Arg}), impressive in winning her turf and two-turn debuts to close out her freshman campaign, rates a slight edge in what appears a wide-open renewal of the GIII Sweetest Chant S. Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

A debut fourth to $1-million KEESEP yearling Zainalarab (War Front) at Belmont Sept. 18, the homebred was a distant second in the slop Oct. 31 before parlaying a perfect, ground-saving trip into a a 1 1/4-length graduation at Aqueduct Nov. 21. The form of that race was franked when runner-up Lijana (Hard Spun) graduated with authority at the Fair Grounds in her next start Jan. 16.

Director's Cut (Exaggerator), a maiden winner and stakes-placed over this course at two, was acquired by Gary Barber late last season, but was a well-beaten fifth to Plum Ali (First Samurai) in the GII Miss Grillo S. Oct. 4. The bay raced with first-time Lasix in a Jan. 10 allowance and sat a very wide trip, finishing 1 1/2 lengths adrift of Mia Martini (Not This Time) while covering an additional 32 feet (about 3 1/2 lengths) in a compact field, according to Trakus.

Con Lima (Commissioner) is also unbeaten in her two tries on the grass, a 5 1/4-length thrashing of a Dec. 12 allowance ahead of a 3 1/4-length defeat of Honey Pants (Cairo Prince) in the local Ginger Brew S. Jan. 2. Both of those successes were achieved in front-running fashion, but rating tactics in a field that appears loaded with speed could go a long way here.

Domain Express (Kitten's Joy) represents the Chad Brown stable, successful in this event each year from 2012-2017, and comes out of a visually impressive four-length maiden victory against decidedly easier at Tampa Dec. 5.

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Ready for ‘Prime’ Time in the Holy Bull

'TDN Rising Star' Prime Factor (Quality Road), a blowout maiden winner sprinting on debut at Gulfstream Dec. 12, heads straight to the big leagues in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S.

The WinStar Farm and CHC Inc. colorbearer, a $900,000 Keeneland September yearling, worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 4/5 (1/13) at Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base Jan. 23 in preparation of his two-turn debut.

Prime Factor is out of a half-sister to fellow 'Rising Stars' Speightster (Speightstown) and West Coast Swing (Gone West) as well as SW Paiota Falls (Kris S.). His second dam Dance Swiftly is a full-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and U.S. Eclipse Award winner Dance Smartly.

“It's kind of that time of year where you have to see where you are,” Pletcher said. “He was brilliant in his debut and has trained sharply since then. We kind of considered going into an allowance race, but that never materialized. It's always a big step to go from maiden race against winners, giving up experience, but he can hopefully overcome it.”

The 16-time Gulfstream Championship Meet training champion will also tighten the girth on Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Amount (Curlin), a 5 3/4-length winner on debut after getting bumped at the start going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Dec. 26.

Greatest Honour (Tapit) was given the 5-2 nod on the morning-line after overcoming a good deal of early trouble in an impressive, come-from-behind maiden victory over track and trip at fourth asking Dec. 26. He was also a strong third in a key maiden special weight at Belmont last fall, featuring subsequent 'Rising Star' and jaw-dropping Smarty Jones S. winner Caddo River (Hard Spun).

“He's developed a lot,” trainer Shug McGaughey said. “I was just sitting there thinking if, through the winter and spring, he keeps going in that direction, he'll be good.”

The Holy Bull's lone graded winner Sittin On Go (Brody's Cause) (GIII Iroquois S.) looks to get back on track following disappointing efforts in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 6 and GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. last time Nov. 28.

The Holy Bull carries 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

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